(TibetanReview.net, May19, 2015) – The Tibetan Women’s Association, which was set up in Dharamshala to carry forward the mantle of those who carried out the Tibetan women’s uprising in Tibet’s capital Lhasa in 1959, elected on May 13 a new central executive body during its 11th General Body Meeting at Sarah, near Dharamshala. A total of 124 women from 26 regional chapters attended the meeting.

The meeting elected Ms Dolma Yangchen from Bylakuppe as President. The meeting also elected Tsering Dolma as Vice-President, with Tsering Choezom from Tsering Dhondenling settlement in Dehradun as Secretary. Altogether 11 executive members were elected, although only six were present at the meeting.

During its six-day meeting the TWA decided to hold grand celebrations to mark the 80th birthday of the Dalai Lama this year and also to provide scholarship-incentives for Tibetan couples who give birth to more children.

The GBM is held every three years, with candidates being eligible to serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms and becoming eligible again only after a gap of three years. The TWA is headquartered in Dharamshala, India.

The TWA says it has 56 regional chapters and over 17,000 members. The group supports the exile Tibetan administration’s middle way approach of seeking autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule.